First Peek: Marvel Releases New 'Abe Lincoln' Comic Today

As Americans celebrate Presidents' Day filled with a sense of gratitude, glory and suspicion that Lincoln must have really, really loved a good discount mattress, who better to appreciate our most heroic president than the folks in the superhero business?

In honor of Abe's 200th, Marvel Comics today is launching a free digital comic featuring Lincoln. Titled "Gettysburg Distress," the six-page comic, which includes Captain America and Spider-Man, was written by "friend of the blog" Matt Fraction; art is by Andy MacDonald.

Marvel is also offering "Spidey Meets the President" online after the strong sales of that Obama comic-book title. The company says both comics can be viewed for free at Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited:

... as well as JOHN SHERRFIUS's striking takeoff on Shepard Fairey's "HOPE" poster.

And on what better day to reflect on one of the original Lincoln cartoonists: 19th-century legend THOMAS NAST. While in his early-20s, Nast drew Lincoln illustrations during the Civil War. One, depicting Lincoln as soothing Great Emancipator, was for the New York Illustrated News, according to the Illinois Periodicals Online (IPO) Project; another Nast image -- unsigned and with a less flattering caricature -- was reportedly for the comic magazine The Phunny Phellow. (He also drew so many Southern battlefields that Lincoln reportedly called him the North's best "recruiting agent.")

Technology may constantly change, but something about the magic of simple, striking presidential cartoons reaches across the ages.